FROM THE FIELD
ECUADOR
ON the west coast the most northern mis-
sion field of the South American Union Con-
ference 1s that of Xcuador, embracing the re-
public of the same name. As its name indi-
cates, this country is located on the equator.
In area and in the number of its inhabitants
there are only two South American republics
smaller, namely, Paraguay and Uraguay.
Quito, a city of 80,000 inhabitants, located
in the terior and only twelve miles from the
equator, at an altitude of cover nine thousand
feet, 1s the capital and largest city. It is also
considered to be the oldest city of the western
hemisphere, having been the capital of an In-
dian kingdom which was conquered by the
Inca empire a generation or two before the
conquest of the latter by Spain in the sixteenth
century.
Guayaquil is the principal port, having for
its harbor the river of the same name. On
account of its hlth, lack of proper drainage,
and its low, fat situation and surroundings,
it is a most unhealthful place during the warm
rainy season.
Unlike Peru, the coast of Ecuador for many
into the 1s low and covered
with a beautiful verdure, and considering the
latitude 1s necessarily unhealthful. A large
part of Ecuador consists of an elevated plateau,
and the climate is both pleasant and health-
ful. The citizens of Ambato, at an altitude
of over eight thousand feet, where Brethren
Casebeer and Davis reside, boast of having the
most healthful climate in the world. As it
never becomes very hot, and frost is unknown,
there is an abundance of fresh fruits, grains,
and vegetables at all seasons of the year. To
new-comers the rarity of the atmosphere is an
unpleasant feature, but to this one may readily
accustom himself.
The population is said to be about 1,200,000;
but the exact number cannot be known. East
of the Andes, there are sections unexplored,
inhabited by savage Indian tribes that make
it dangerous to enter, It is claimed that
some of these as well as some in eastern Peru,
are cannibals. Many who have entered their
haunts have never returned. From my limited
observations, 1 would be inclined to place the
number above the above mentioned figures.
Along the coast the Ecuadorian is a cholo,
a mixture of white and Indian. There are
also many Chinese, and Chinese mixed with
native blood. All the cities east of the moun-
The Indian
is everywhere in evidence, and especially in
the country. They are the tillers of the soil,
and their well-kept fields along the mountain-
sides show a thrift and skill truly surprising.
Eight hundred thousand of Ecuader’s inhab-
itants are full-blood Indians.
The government is a liberal one. A revo-
lution not long since overthrew the Catholic
party. Church and state were separated by
a hitherto most dutiful child of the papacy,
the schools were made secular, and theoretically
there is the most perfect liberty. Naturally
miles mterior
tains contain whites and cholos.
THE WATCHMAN
the clergy still have a strong hold upon the
people, which will occasionally manifest itself
in counter-revolutions against the government.
Along the coast towns where the people come
in touch with the civilization of the outside
world, the liberal sentiment permits the preach-
ing of the gospel freely. In
places,
interior
makes gospel work
many
fanaticism beset
with dangers.
Three years ago Brother F. H. Davis came
to Ecuador as the pioneer Seventh-day Ad-
ventist missionary. He had already had a
good experience as a colporter in Chile, where
he had also served as a pioneer. Since his
arrivel mm Ecuador, he has Leen laboring in
the same capacity, and he has succeeded in
placing considerable literature in the homes of
the people. More than a vear and a half ago,
Elder George Casebeer came to assist in the
work, and when Ecuador was separated as a
mission ileld a little more than a vear ago, he
was placed in charge as superintendent. The
brethren cannot boast of many souls gained,
but on the part of Brother Davis it has been
a period of seed-sowing, and Brother Case-
beer came to this field a stranger to the lan-
guage. They are now prepared to enter upon
4 More vigorous, aggressive campaign in that
dark and needy land.
Notwithstanding the above disadvantageous
circumstances, they have probably not been
less successful than missionaries of other de-
nominations. A minister who has labored mn
Quito for a number of years told me that he
counted four hopeful conversions as a result.
A report of a missionary in Ecuador made
at the close of last vear said that the number
of really converted souls numbered less than
a quarter of a hundred, and this after ten or
more years of labor by a number of workers.
This only emphasizes the difficulties of the
field.
Two persons have fully accepted the third
angel's message in Ecuador; one, a brother at
Guayaquil who came to us from a Protestant
congregation. There are two other young
men somewhat interested, hoth of whom are
Catholics.
At Arubato a young man of twenty-six years
of good family and education and of good
character, has received the message, and it
my privilege to baptize him, the first
Seventh-day Adventist baptized in this mis-
sion fleld. He has been in the United States
over two vears and speaks Fnglish quite well.
He had heen reared in the Catholic fold, and
was a very firm believer in that church, so that
le considered it a great sin to entertain the
least doubt with reference to her. But the
Lord has wonderfully opened his eyes to see
and receive the truth. May he continue his
blessings to him, and make him a willing and
useful instrument in the work of the last mes-
sage.
was
I enjoyed very much my short stay and
acquaintance with the brethren, and counsel-
ing about the work. ‘They have the work at
heart, and are anxious for its advancement.
They may be counted on to lift all they can.
All has not been sunshine, nor need we expect
The day is all the brighter because
it to be.
667
of the night. I am of the nrmest conviction
that we shall see more rapid strides in the
development of the work in the future. The
early and the latter rain will cause the seed
to spring forth, harvest to ripen
Remember the work in Ecuador in
Your prayers. JW. WESTPHAL.
Pisco, Peru.
and the
quickly.
AN EXPERIENCE OF A SEVENTH-DAY
ADVENTIST IN PERU
Ix its issue of April 23, one of the daily
papers of Callao, Peru, reported the following
experience of one of our brethren in a town
called Pacaran, not far from Lima:—
“Mr. Francis Rivadeneira of Lima makes a
complaint which is more than just against a
Spanish priest in Pacaran.
“ Rivadeneira is a Protestant Christian and
therefore propagates his religion.
“He says that he is a native of Pacaran,
having in that place his crops and his fam-
ily, and that he went there recently for the
purpose of harvesting his crops. While thee,
one of his children died. He went to the
priest to get the necessary permit to bury
him, paying the necessary tax for burying in
the Catholic cemetery, as there was no other
in the place.
“The priest received him very roughly, not-
withstanding that it is usually the opposite
when the matter of money is involved, be-
cause he knew that this brother was cir-
culating Protestant tracts and papers in the
place. He apostrophized him very harshly for
his propaganda, denouncing it as heretical, and
threatened to have him shut up in the public
prison.
“ Rivadeneira answered him directly to the
point, telling him that this he might be able
to do with ignorant people who do not under-
stand their just rights, but not with him who
was a Seventh-day Adventist, and that in Lima
he circulated without hindrance the periodical
Las Senales de los Tiempos to give light to
the people.
“After a long series of injurious recrimina-
tions, the priest turned his back on him with-
out giving him the permit to bury his child,
saying that he was occupied, and he would
have to call back later. Later he went back,
and found the priest talking with the lieu-
tenant who is in charge of the oublic police
force. The priest took the opportunity to
reproach and insult him again, but at last
he gave him the necessary permit, after re-
ceiving his pay for it.
“This occurred the 1oth of March. After
that this man was watched and badly treated.
The 24th of March the Chief of Police ar-
rived in the place, and put at the disposition
of the priest the public police force to per-
secute Rivadeneira. Immediately an odicial
and a soldier went to take him prisoner, but
did not find him at home. His wife, who was
alone, told them that her husband would not
return from his work until night, as the farm
where he was working was some distance
away.
“The official remained in the house to be